Methods of Persuasion
by astheblackrosewilts
Summary: Special Agent Rodney McKay, of whatever organisation they’d decided this week, sighed. Surely there were easier ways to infiltrate Russia and on top of that, it looked like he’d just made another set of enemies.
1. Chapter 1

AN Okay, not to be taken too seriously, plot bunny got my leg, wouldn't go away. Needed to be killed so I wrote this. Well, that and I have a fondness for Spy!Rodney.

Summary – Special Agent Rodney McKay, of whatever organisation they'd decided this week, sighed. Surely there were easier ways to infiltrate Russia and on top of that, it looked like he'd just made another set of enemies. Set before after and during 48 hours, another reason for Rodney's actions.

Rating – PG

Disclaimer – I don't own anything you recognise, the creators do.

**Methods of Persuasion**

Rodney McKay examined the room he was in with a nonchalant air. Unlike many people he knew that this room, rather than the Oval Office, was the place of true power in the modern world. It was of simple design, bulletproof glass, mahogany desk, computer and filing cabinets. Naturally with the Canadian flag flying in the corner, it was only patriotic after all.

The awe of the aura of total power had worn off a long time ago though and now he busied himself with examining his latest 'toy'. A gun with plastic bullets, not simply designed to flatten so to cause maximum damage with minimum effort but also tricky in the way that plastic had a tendency not to show up on X-rays. Simple maybe but it was better than the poison-dart shooting Rolex they'd presented him with a month ago.

Sometimes he'd swear that far from inventing these things his people simply watched the latest James Bond movie for inspiration.

He was interrupted by the arrival of his boss, a man who had gone a bit peculiar in the last few years and had started to call himself 'X'. As he was still one of the most powerful men in the world (whether most knew it or not) though most pf the people he worked with let it go, Rodney included. Though he thought it more than a little cliché. It wasn't as though it had bled through into any other part of his life.

"Welcome home Agent McKay."

Rodney nodded, "thank you sir."

"How was your conference?"

Rodney rolled his eyes, "as good as can be expected considering the complete incompetence of the current scientific community."

X gave a grizzled laugh. "Just remember that they don't have access to the knowledge you do."

"True," Rodney admitted, "but the reason I have access to that knowledge in the first place is because I'm competent enough to deserve to know." He levelled the man with an even stare. "But I very much doubt that you asked me here to discuss my conference."

"Of course," the man nodded wearily. "As you know, for some time we've been trying to get a man inside Russia's top development facility."

Rodney actually laughed at this. "Come on. Any successful mission would have to be long term and there is no way they would allow one of our people inside."

"Indeed," X leaned forwards and rested his head on his steepled fingers. "But they have actually requested a scientist from the SGC," he checked his watch, "or the will be soon anyway."

Oh, _no_ _way_. "I wasn't aware we had a scientist inside the SGC." Rodney offered hopefully.

"We don't currently but we will soon."

Rodney nodded, "not the way I would have chosen to get inside the SGC but better then nothing I suppose. What's the problem?"

X frowned, "excuse me?"

"There must be a problem," Rodney explained tolerantly, "or there wouldn't be an excuse for my going there."

The man laughed again, Rodney smiled evenly.

"Yes, of course." He sobered. "One of the members of SG1, the alien Teal'c, has become trapped in the Stargate. According to Samantha Carter he has been stored inside the gate's memory."

Rodney was nodding and X paused, "you know how to get him out, don't you."

"It seems fairly simple, yes."

The man eyed him with disbelief then nodded, amused, he knew better than to doubt Rodney McKay after all this time. "Right, of _course_ it does."

"Is this what you called me here for?"

"Not exactly."

Rodney tilted his chin, intrigued in spite of himself, Stargate assignments had always seemed interesting.

"I want," X continued, "I want you to go to Cheyenne and be as annoying as it is possible for one man to be. I want you to be the scientist you've had nightmares about _and_ I want you to make sure that Carter solves this problem on her own. I don't care if you have to change whatever it is she's doing to make sure she gets it but make sure she thinks she's done it alone."

He paused. Rodney waited, knowing there was more.

"Then I want you to change it, so whatever the solution is the Russian's DHD is destroyed in the process."

Rodney sat back, so that was it.

"Doctor Daniel Jackson of the SGC and Major Paul Davis of the Pentagon will be negotiating for the Russian DHD to be loaned to us as we speak and I want you to make sure that they don't get it back."

Rodney nodded.

"…You're not surprised, Doctor McKay?"

"Not really, I was wondering how long you'd allow for the Russians to have such an obvious advantage. Besides, it would be quite simple to have me assigned to Russia as an SGC scientist without my physical presence at Stargate Command. I do have one question though."

Brown eyes met blue.

"Only one, agent?"

"Yes sir, what purpose will annoying them serve?"

"Well, specifically I want you to annoy Jack O'Neill. Though he doesn't know it yet he's choosing the scientist to send to Russia and doubtless he will view it a punishment.

Rodney nodded thoughtfully. "And the easiest way to get to Colonel Jack O'Neill is to upset one of his kids. Due to Daniel Jackson's absence that leaves Samantha Carter, and what better way to aggravate the SGC's golden girl than to belittle her intelligence?"

The man surveyed him evenly, "that will be your question to answer agent."

Rodney eyed him coolly, "Sir, may I remind you that I have a one hundred percent success rate, if I put my mind to this mission it will be done. Due to my insistence that I devote myself, at least partially to my field, I am also an expert in alien technology. You picked me because I am more than the best man for this job, I am the _only_ man for this job, please don't patronise me."

X glared at him, Rodney was right but that didn't mean he wanted to admit it. "Just make sure you don't do too through a job, we need to leave the avenue open for you to return if we find the need for you to do so." He smiled thinly. "After all Agent, that's what we pay you for. Goodbye Agent McKay and good luck."

Rodney's look was derisive. "Thank you sir but I doubt I'll need it after all, _that's_ what you pay me for."

Turning his back on the approving nod, X had always enjoyed people who refused to be intimidated by power, Rodney walked confidently out of the room and down the corridor. Secure in the knowledge that his secretary would be waiting with notes on the DHD, further information about the mission, his long term objectives and directions to the private transportation.

* * *

Seventy-two hours later Rodney McKay sighed. Here he was, a special agent of the FBI, CIA, (American organisations were infinitely easier to infiltrate). MI5, MI6, Special Services or whatever they'd decided on this week (which had, on one memorable occasion, actually been Scotland Yard, Canada really needed to make up its mind) and he'd just been effectively banished. 

Russia, fantastic, and it looked like he'd just made another set of enemies, surely there were easier ways to infiltrate a country!

He didn't care if they got the best toys, sometimes being a spy sucked.

As the stewardess of the private jet brought him a drink she smiled coyly and for a moment he deliberated between her and the folder marker 'top-secret' that currently sat in front of him.

Eventually he decided that he was too tired and waved her away with a smile, she pouted and left and he was left wondering where the agency got these bimbos from and when _exactly_ he'd become old enough to turn down undoubtedly hot sex.

Maybe it was a sign, he thought as he reached for the folder, a sign that it was time for him to get out of the game, become a full-time physicist.

He opened the folder and looked at the picture of the woman in charge of the proceedings, the one who he'd have to get past in order to successfully complete his mission.

Black hair, cheekbones that could cut glass, deep blue eyes and an IQ over 190, she was also unmarried which was helpful but not essential. Smirking Rodney scanned down the page to find the all-important line. 'Any method of persuasion may be used to gain the necessary information'.

A slow smile slid over Rodney's face, and to think he'd thought he was getting too old for this…

AN - It's possible that this is an SG1 fic but as it's main character is Rodney McKay I decided to put it in the Atlantis column, I also have a few ideas for continuances in Pegasus


	2. Chapter 2

**AN** – Spy Rodney goes to Pegasus. Not concentrating on one incident this time but rather the first two seasons… well, part of the second season anyway.

**Summary/Rating/Disclaimer** – See part one

**Methods of Persuasion**

**Part 2**

After Anubis threatened the Earth Rodney had been called back from Russia. He'd known it was serious. This time his objective had been to stop Anubis.

Maybe it was a sign he'd been completely corrupted by this business but it was the fact that he hadn't received an additional objective that had made him worry. Then again, Earth had been in peril many times and Rodney had never been given orders that tallied with everyone else's. Maybe there was a reason to worry.

The look on X's face had scared him more than he was willing to admit.

He had managed to fit in an objective of his own though. His 'crush' on Samantha Carter was now more endearing and slightly irritating than angering and the few personal admission he'd dropped in had earned him a kiss on the cheek.

He'd even apologised to Teal'c when he'd been there. Apparently the Jaffa warrior respected men who could admit when they were wrong. Then again, it would be rather hypocritical of him not to.

But whatever the reason, his status had risen considerably and he'd been given the position of Chief Scientist on the Antarctica Base.

He'd also been offered the position of Chief Science Officer on the Atlantis mission. That one he hadn't been sure of.

X had made it perfectly clear that it was his choice and yet pointed out that it was essential they have an agent in Pegasus.

Rodney had ended up taking the assignment, just like he knew he would. He had also been sure to remind them though that Pegasus was a _little_ out of his normal field of expertise.

X had countered with the argument that Rodney was the world's foremost expert when it came to Ancient technology and also spoke and read the language fluently. Who could be better?

Unable to argue Rodney had agreed and he'd never regretted it.

He hadn't realised just how bored he'd been getting on Earth. The Wraith at least provided a challenge considering that he had to deal with them when playing the part of the genius but physically inept scientist.

Slowly but surely the Rodney McKay the SGC had known for years began to go through a makeover. Other than the outward evidence though he'd tried not to show it too much.

What was harder to get a handle on was the emotions.

After the incident with Chaya he'd begun to realise that he must be keeping too much of an emotional distance. Those had been his orders, keep ahead of the game, be fully involved in major decisions but _keep_ _your_ _distance_.

He was aware that this order was the reason many of his staff thought there was a scarring trauma somewhere in his childhood but still…

Carson had backed him up eventually but Rodney knew that Carson felt more than a lingering fondness for him due to his actions after Hoff. Providing silent support for the doctor when everyone else just wanted to 'talk'.

The support was less to do with tact though and more to do with him not being able to tell him that he'd been there. Innocents dying by his hand was not as unfamiliar an experience as he'd like it to be.

Regardless of the intentions though a friendship that had begun in Antarctica had since been even more firmly cemented.

Ultimately, however, it was John's support he needed.

His friendship with John Sheppard had been both convenient and genuine and he had found himself extremely relieved when Sheppard had taken command in place of Sumner. Not that he would have wished the man's fate on anyone but the young Major was infinitely easier to talk to and to convince of things. Especially when Rodney began to show a more adventurous side to himself.

His allowing John to shoot him in the leg and push him off a balcony had just sealed the deal as far as the pilot was concerned. Rodney had heard John mutter just before he pushed that he'd always wanted to try this. He would have said something but for the fact that he'd thrown quite a few people of balconies significantly higher that the one in the gateroom during the course of his life.

Chaya had drilled home how much more open he needed to be though. He needed to be trusted and she simply made it violently obvious how little influence he really had over the pilot.

It wasn't really that surprising though, especially considering his actions during the Genii occupation of the city. Sheppard had been furious, not with him though, with Kolya. Even though Rodney had talked.

As it was Rodney had spilled as he'd recognised that it was the only way to stop the storm from destroying the city. Kolya was ruthless, he wasn't stupid. As far as Sheppard was concerned though he'd broken and embarrassingly quickly at that. Rodney didn't know how he would have reacted if he'd been in the Major's place but he hoped it would have been in the same way.

Then again, rescuing Sheppard from a Super Wraith had gone a long way towards earning the trust he needed. He'd had to ignore the little voice in his head that doubted if orders were his only motives for acting in that manner. Rodney's influence would increase considerably with Sheppard's removal after all. Then again, Sheppard's second was Ford…

At that moment in time Sheppard being in charge was ultimately beneficial and Rodney had actually grown quite fond of him. Besides, it would have looked bizarre if the only one to survive the mission had been the chief scientist.

Ultimately, however, it had not been enough. Hopefully hearing of the actions of his alternate self and discovering how to send a message home had secured the trust that he'd previously thought a certainty.

He was still slightly bitter about that. Surely it said something about the state of his life that his last message was a coded report to his Agency. Granted it had gone through his sister but he and Jeannie had been tied to the Agency for so long that he'd known that every single aspect of his message would be poured over and fully analysed by far more experts than even the SGC would be using.

The references to family and his status within the Expedition were obviously interpreted but Rodney was more than a little disturbed to realise that some of his sentiments were actually true.

He was beginning to lose character.

Following the siege of the city he couldn't even bring himself to shout at Sheppard for his suicide run. Doctor Rodney McKay would have screamed until he was blue in the face, Agent Rodney McKay could feel nothing but empathy. Sheppard had frowned in confusion and Rodney thought that the pilot might have been steeling himself for another confrontation once Rodney had come down from whatever Carson had him on.

Perhaps such feelings had come through in his message home because what had arrived with the Daedalus were strict orders regarding his position and another agent.

Who, he had been delighted to note, was Stephen Caldwell. A man he had worked with many times before.

Stephen had been one of the Agency's greatest triumphs. As a young boy his father had been assigned to a base in Canada and he had attracted the Agency's attention when he had begun to attend university. After he had completed his degree he had been sent to the American Military to enlist. After an extremely distinguished career both in the Agency and the Air Force Stephen had been assigned to the SGC.

He wasn't there to take over though, no matter what Sheppard thought, he was there to run interference between Atlantis and the Earth and Rodney and the Agency. With him around, not to mention the supplies his ship brought, life could only become easier.

He really should have remembered a lesson he'd learned the hard way a long time ago, 'life wasn't meant to be easy'.

There had certainly been a few close calls. Cadman had cornered him after she'd been stuck in his head and just looked at him for a moment.

He'd spluttered but she'd shaken her head. 'I've been in your body McKay, you are no where near as unfit as you pretend to be'.

He'd looked embarrassed and muttered something about jocks and geeks on Atlantis and apparently that had been enough. She'd made him promise to come running with her and he'd considered it a small price to pay for her silence.

That was nothing compared with what was to come.

A few months after the renewed contact he and his team had gone to Doranda and discovered the opportunities the planet presented.

Rodney had known instantly what his orders would be.

Stephen had confirmed with the look in his eyes even as he explained to Elizabeth how enthusiastic the President was at the promise of such a weapon. 'America cannot be allowed a tool of such magnitude. You need to destroy it before they rip a hole in the fabric of the universe.'

Stephen had silently promised that he'd be there to pick them but Rodney had still been relieved when Elizabeth had ordered he and John to go alone.

Of course, X got his way. Arcturus was destroyed, the fragile trust between John and Rodney gone with it.

He was surprised by how much that bothered him. Rodney was the best of the best, he _shouldn't_ care… but he did.

It had taken a long time for that trust to even start to be reaffirmed and all the time Rodney was being reminded by his every action that John _shouldn't_ trust him. He was, after all, a traitor.

It had taken pretty drastic measures to begin to fix things; deliberately overdosing on the enzyme was not something he would recommend to anything.

Throughout his career he'd been hooked on crack cocaine, heroin, morphine and a dozen other drugs designed to build up resistance and make him talk. He could safely say that he'd rather go withdrawal for all of them together than experience one more second of the enzyme withdrawal. His pain threshold had been driven so high through his work that sometimes he'd wondered if he'd ever talk but during those desperate days he would have slit Carson's throat cheerfully for another drop.

He'd actually been seriously worried that he'd said something and had thanked his stars when he'd watched the tape back.

That had been the last straw though; he'd known he had to get out.

He'd waited for a month for Stephen to return with the response. All the time spent imagining worst case scenarios.

What did he think it was? A nine-to-five job at a supermarket? This wasn't the kind of life you just got to walk away from.

They had his sister. A letter claiming an injury to her would be perfectly simple. There would be no coincidence as no one on Atlantis knew what he was planning. Rodney had briefly considered creating a real emergency to coincide with the arrival of the Daedalus to encourage Elizabeth against granting compassionate leave but he knew he couldn't do it. If they were to decide to play dirty there was really _nothing_ he could do about it. He would have to leave under the promise to return but a serious injury to her would _undoubtedly_ result in his staying on Earth to take care of her.

With a month to consider the most horrific possibilities the answer, when it came, was shockingly anticlimactic.

The video that Rodney had watched, rewatched, wiped, brought back and then watched again had featured an amused X asking what had taken so long. They'd simply requested that they be able to ask for his assistance should any serious incidences arise. He'd agreed immediately, feeling guilty for his suspicions.

And then, for one of the first times in his life, he'd been exactly what he said, Doctor Rodney McKay, Astrophysicist. He still felt uneasy though.

But no one could ever have accused him of being stupid and it didn't take him long to work out why. His method of discovery could have been better done but in the end it had worked, which was what mattered really.

And that had led him to here. Funny, he honestly hadn't realised how worked up the whole business had him.

Rodney was tossing violently back and forwards when John walked back into the tent after finishing his watch. The scientist's face was covered in a thin sheen of sweat and he was mumbling under his breath, face screwed up, fists clenching and unclenching.

It only took a second for John to make his decision, he'd had a few nightmares like that himself.

Crouching down and reaching over he shook Rodney's shoulder gently. "Rodney."

Half a second later he was on his back, Rodney's knee planted firmly in the middle of his chest. His hands were firmly pinned above his head, held so tightly that he doubted he could even make them twitch. Rodney was leaning over him, eyes half glazed with a knife pointed firmly at John's throat.

John froze instinctively.

Rodney's eyes were wide and he was panting but he seemed to be coming to his senses. As Ronon burst in, gun drawn, Teyla following closely behind he'd sagged, resheathing the knife and scrabbling to his feet.

More than a little freaked out, John accepted the hand held out to help him up.

Teyla looked wary, Ronon just looked incredulous, or as incredulous as he ever looked anyway. "McKay got the jump on you, Sheppard?"

Ronon's surprise was justified Rodney supposed, especially considering how they'd met. The trap Ronon had caught him in had been embarrassingly primitive and he was ashamed to say that he hadn't seen it. Granted, he hadn't been expecting it but that was no excuse and having to stay in it after had been… but at least it had cemented the image of Rodney as he was supposed to be seen in the eyes of the Runner.

He must have looked stricken though because as he opened his mouth to speak John cut him off.

"It's okay." John patted his arm soothingly. "I've had a few nightmares like that myself, I should have guessed how you'd react." He paused. "Ronon's right though. I'm ex-special ops, there is no way you should have been able to catch me out."

"You weren't expecting it."

"True," John conceded. "But that doesn't really change anything."

Something that looked a lot like relief flickered in Rodney's eyes as he made a decision.

"You have to understand how classified this is. If you hear and want to kill me that's fair enough but if you want to talk then I'll have to kill you now."

Ronon snorted in disbelief and Rodney fixed him with a serious stare. Slowly Ronon's sniggers died down and the silence grew to uncomfortable proportions.

"McKay…" John looked as though he didn't quite know what to say. "I doubt that whatever you've got to tell us we'd kill you."

Rodney ignored him. "If, on the other hand, you choose to accept what I'm telling you then missions will become a lot easier."

"You're serious aren't you?" John breathed.

What's to stop us talking?" Ronon asked suspiciously.

"Well… other than the fact that I meant it when I said I'd kill you… I doubt anyone would believe you. You don't believe it and you just watched me flip and put a knife to John's throat before I'd even woken up."

John rolled his eyes, obviously unwilling to admit how uneasy this was making him feel. "Whatever, McKay. Why don't you tell us before threatening us?"

"Who knows?" Teyla asked. "Does Elizabeth?"

Rodney shook his head.

"So no one knows…" John murmured. "This had better be good, Rodney." Rodney didn't respond, blowing his own cover was one thing, Stephen's was another entirely.

The other members of the team exchanged glances.

"Tell us," Ronon muttered.

And Rodney, being completely honest for once in his life, did. Reminding them as he did so that he had never done anything to hurt the people of Atlantis.

Teyla and Ronon didn't even seemed that surprised and they seemed confused that John was. They knew Rodney came from a country other than the America John was always talking about, what was so surprising about Rodney sending information back to his own people?

John was considerably more upset but he trusted Rodney more than he was willing to admit and he could remember some of the things that Rodney had done while he'd been in Atlantis. Chances he'd had to hinder them and all the times he'd saved them and he decided he was willing to give him the chance.

Besides, he could see that Rodney was perfectly serious about killing them.

And that's why, when they were discussing necessary methods to extract information from Kavanagh, John wasn't surprised that Rodney gave no more than a token protest. John could tell that, even when the scientist turned out to be innocent that Rodney would have no trouble sleeping and he bit his tongue sharply to stop himself from asking how many men Rodney had ordered tortured. Or how many men Rodney _had_ tortured.

It's why every mission report from then onwards was written to make Rodney seem more inept that he'd acted.

And it's why Rodney was so shocked when John presented him with his gun, just before he allowed an alien conscious to invade his body.

And it's possible that _that was_ exactly why John did it.


End file.
